Page 64 of Shadows Relived
Shaking her head, she punched in the last number she needed to call.
Willie.
The line rang twice before an older voice, warm and worn like flannel, answered. “Hello?”
“Mrs. Davies? It’s Meaghan—Meaghan Harrington. Willie’s teacher. I wanted to call and see how he was doing after everything and make sure he got home all right. You are home after your surgery, right?”
“Oh, child,” the woman breathed. “After everything you’ve been through, and you’re asking about me. Willie always said you were the sweetest lady he ever knew. Said you remind him of his mother.”
Meaghan felt the blush color her cheeks. “That’s sweet of him. Is he doing all right?”
“He’s a little skittish around loud noises, but he’s doing fine. He told me everything. I hope you’re safe now. He missed you as his teacher today. Thank you for protecting my grandson. That boy means everything to me.”
“I’m glad he’s back with you,” Meaghan murmured. “He deserves to feel safe again.”
“So do you. Don’t let the bad guys win, Miss Harrington. We need angels like you in our world.”
Meaghan ended the call with a trembling breath, pocketed the phone, and looked out the window.
So many lives affected by so much wreckage.
And it wasn’t over yet.
She laid her head on the window, toying with the necklace Callen gave her at the motel, staring to the front when something in the side mirror caught herattention. She jerked her gaze behind them as a vehicle raced toward them.
“Shit,” she heard Elvis curse as he looked in his rearview mirror. “We’ve got company.”
Gage leaned forward, peering through the rearview. “Probably picked us up at the last stop.”
“I’ll bet my blue suede shoes that they’re probably tracking cameras like Blaze is doing for us,” Elvis said, his voice sharp but calm. “Hold on to your capes. It’s time to take care of business.”
Without warning, he yanked the wheel and veered onto the next exit ramp, tires squealing as they shot down the off-ramp and onto a rural side road.
Meaghan braced herself against the seat as the SUV dipped and jolted across uneven asphalt. “What’s the plan?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
“Drive like hell, and lose them on the back roads,” Elvis replied, tone clipped. “Get off-grid until Blaze can reroute us.”
“I wish Hawk and Grim were closer,” Gage said, glancing over his shoulder and out the rear window.
They made it less than two miles before another black SUV appeared ahead of them.
“Shit!” Gage shouted. “It’s a damn pincer.”
A second later, the rear vehicle slammed into them, jerking them forward with bone-rattling force. The airbags didn’t deploy, but Meaghan felt her neck snap against the restraint as Elvis fought to keep the vehicle steady. Gravel kicked up as they swerved off the road and onto a dirt shoulder. Dust clouded the air as another hard hit from the side spun them into a shallow ditch. Thevehicle rocked violently before coming to a halt with a final, stomach-dropping jolt.
They were boxed in.
Men poured from the vehicles wearing black tactical gear and semi-automatics, precision in every move. Not mercs. Killers.
“Go hot!” Elvis shouted, grabbing his sidearm and throwing open the door.
Gage was already out the passenger side, firing from a crouch position behind the engine block. Meaghan ducked low in the backseat, adrenaline screaming through her veins.
“Meaghan, there’s a gun under my seat,” Gage shouted. “Grab it.”
Without hesitation, she reached for the weapon, thanking her father that he had at least had her learn how to shoot.
The air exploded with gunfire.
